If there's 1 team on the schedule in worse shape than our beloved Lions, it just might be the Cardinals. Though, if history has taught us Lions fans anything, its that even teams that are in worse shape than ours, can soundly beat the Lions.

After the Detroit Lions' 27-20 loss to the Green Bay Packers, here are three issues that merit further examination:

1. Here is a scary snapshot of 3 3/4 seasons under general manager Martin Mayhew and coach Jim Schwartz. Beginning with the start of the 2009 season, the Lions lost 20 of 28 games. Then they won nine consecutive games to bridge the end of the 2010 and the beginning of 2011. Since then, they have a 9-15 regular-season record. That's a lot of losing mixed around one intense winning streak. It's easier to argue that 9-0 as an aberration, at least from a statistical perspective, than it is to view their current slump as a temporary blip. To borrow a political phrase, the Lions are better off than they were four years ago. But they clearly weren't good enough to parlay what seemed a breakthrough moment last season into lasting success.

2. The decision to start receiver Kris Durham, days after his promotion from the practice squad, was revealing only in that it passed over veteran Mike Thomas, whom the Lions acquired from the Jacksonville Jaguars last month. I realize Thomas is a 5-foot-8 slot receiver, and perhaps not ideally suited to playing a full game on the outside. But in a game the Lions were without Nate Burleson, Titus Young and Ryan Broyles, Thomas saw only 17 of a possible 84 snaps. Durham, meanwhile, played 78 snaps. Thomas is due $1.45 million next season, of which $1 million was originally guaranteed. If the Lions planned to make him a big part of their offense next season, you would think he would have played more Sunday night. Durham is a big target and made a wonderful one-handed catch in the first quarter, but he understandably looked like he needs more work as a professional route runner.

3. Defensive tackle Nick Fairley added another sack Sunday night and brought his season total to 5.5. That's the third-most among defensive tackles in the NFL at the moment, behind the Cincinnati Bengals' Geno Atkins (10.5) and the Chicago Bears' Henry Melton (6.0). That's an impressive figure considering he was not even a full-time player when the season began. Fairley was playing about a third of the Lions' defensive snaps until Week 4, and he really didn't become a full-time starter until a month ago. I think we can all agree Fairley has earned a full-time job playing next to Ndamukong Suh for the rest of the season and beyond.

And here is one issue I still don't get:What should the Lions do with safety Louis Delmas, who has been trying to limp through his fourth season with a knee injury that has plagued him since the start of training camp? He was inactive Sunday night after playing a part-time role in the Lions' past two games, and he'll play in no more than half of the team's games this season. He missed five games last season and the Lions have been forced to fill in with a parade of special teamers, practice squad promotions and street free agents. Delmas' contract expires after this season, making him one of six defensive starters who will be eligible for free agency. The Lions are clearly a better defense when he is healthy and plays, but those moments have been relatively rare over the past 1 1/2 seasons. How much money can you afford to offer a valuable but unreliable player, at least from a health standpoint? That's a difficult question the Lions must decide in the coming months.

_________________"Good teams don't worry about a whole lot of stuff. They travel, they play, they win. And it doesn't matter where they go, what the time block is, all those kinds of things. They never seem to bother teams that play well, and we want to be one of those teams." -Jim Caldwell

December 11th, 2012, 11:37 am

The Legend

HC – Jim Caldwell

Joined: February 11th, 2005, 3:01 pmPosts: 4699Location: WSU

Re: Getting ready for: The Cardinals

Lions need to start using these games left as auditions for next season.

WR - Kris Durham got a shot. He looked good for the first 10 minutes or so but then he looked awful afterwards. Somehow Tony Scheffler pulled ahead of Mike Thomas as a slot receiver. Thomas isnt someone Im ready to write off yet, he should get some more looks. I think we ve seen the last of Burleson and probably Young. Broyles will be back at least but again he s going to cut it close with training camp.

RB - LeShoure s gotten plenty of looks. Bell s looking good. I d like to see K Smith get a couple of carries and see if instead of using 2 similar runners (LeShoure/Bell) they might have more success with 2 dissimilar runners (Bell/Smith). Also its very predictable when Smith comes in on 3rd down as a pass protecting back. Start to mix that up Linehan.

OL - Wouldnt mind seeing Fox get some playing time. Also its important Reiff gets some more experience at LT if they are going to unleash him there next season.

DE - KVBs time should decrease even further. Let Lo Jack and Willie Young split those snaps. WIllie s done nothing this season but he did show some flashes a year ago. Ronnell Lewis needs to be active for games also.

LB - Are Whitehead and R Lewis going to get some snaps. COuld save us a lot of money with Durant and Levy as free agents.

CB/S - nobody really left. Green should get more snaps ahead of Lacey and Florence. Carey and Silva are likely playing for one spot as a backup on next years team.

December 11th, 2012, 7:54 pm

The Legend

HC – Jim Caldwell

Joined: February 11th, 2005, 3:01 pmPosts: 4699Location: WSU

Re: Getting ready for: The Cardinals

P - should they also maybe bring in Donahue and give him a few games as Harris has returned to his old ways?

December 11th, 2012, 7:54 pm

TheRealWags

Modmin Dude

Joined: December 31st, 2004, 9:55 amPosts: 12488

Re: Getting ready for: The Cardinals

PFT wrote:

The Cardinals turn back to Ryan LindleyPosted by Josh Alper on December 12, 2012, 3:46 PM EST

Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt turned his back to the dartboard and let a dart fly over his shoulder at Cardinals headquarters Wednesday and the dart landed in the part of the board reading Ryan Lindley.

At least that’s how we imagine Whisenhunt is making his quarterback choice from week to week. John Skelton started last week’s debacle in Seattle with Lindley coming on in relief while Lindley started the Week 13 debacle against the Jets, so it’s not like there’s some clearly right answer to the question starting Whisenhunt in the face. The darts make as sense as anything else Whisenhunt did to wind up naming Lindley the starter for Sunday’s game against the Lions.

The Cardinals placed Kevin Kolb on injured reserve Wednesday, ending any hope that he’d return to retake the job he was doing before breaking his ribs. That leaves Whisenhunt to continue choosing between Skelton and Lindley week after week in some kind of absurd sequel to Groundhog Day.

Perhaps he’ll break the cycle by turning to Brian Hoyer, although the recent arrival in the desert is probably still getting up to speed on the playbook. Given what the guys who know the offense have done this year, that might not be a prerequisite for the job.

Heh, maybe the secondary will make some plays this game.....ah, who am I kidding, they'll make him look like Peyton

_________________

Quote:

Clowns to the left of me, Jokers to the right....

December 12th, 2012, 4:53 pm

wjb21ndtown

Re: Getting ready for: The Cardinals

The Legend wrote:

Lions need to start using these games left as auditions for next season.

WR - Kris Durham got a shot. He looked good for the first 10 minutes or so but then he looked awful afterwards. Somehow Tony Scheffler pulled ahead of Mike Thomas as a slot receiver. Thomas isnt someone Im ready to write off yet, he should get some more looks. I think we ve seen the last of Burleson and probably Young. Broyles will be back at least but again he s going to cut it close with training camp.

RB - LeShoure s gotten plenty of looks. Bell s looking good. I d like to see K Smith get a couple of carries and see if instead of using 2 similar runners (LeShoure/Bell) they might have more success with 2 dissimilar runners (Bell/Smith). Also its very predictable when Smith comes in on 3rd down as a pass protecting back. Start to mix that up Linehan.

OL - Wouldnt mind seeing Fox get some playing time. Also its important Reiff gets some more experience at LT if they are going to unleash him there next season.

DE - KVBs time should decrease even further. Let Lo Jack and Willie Young split those snaps. WIllie s done nothing this season but he did show some flashes a year ago. Ronnell Lewis needs to be active for games also.

LB - Are Whitehead and R Lewis going to get some snaps. COuld save us a lot of money with Durant and Levy as free agents.

CB/S - nobody really left. Green should get more snaps ahead of Lacey and Florence. Carey and Silva are likely playing for one spot as a backup on next years team.

The Legend wrote:

P - should they also maybe bring in Donahue and give him a few games as Harris has returned to his old ways?

I couldn't agree more.

WR - I wish they would give Lance Long more snaps (was he even active last Sunday?). He looked good in the pre-season, and you are right, Durham looked down right bush-league after he made that great one-handed grab. He has no "fight" in him to get to his position. Those little pirouettes he was doing out there looked pathetic. Even Staff was pissed at him.

RB -I say give the load to Bell. He looks good at times, but others you can tell he's out-classed and REALLY unpolished. He makes great plays, and has a ton of raw talent, but he looks lost at times. I would like to at least see that sorted out going into next year. Screw Kevin Smith. He shouldn't be any part of this teams future. I'd like to see Bell be our #3 back next year and I'd like to see us bring in a vet presence to push these guys and lead them.

OL - I do think Reiff needs more time, but I say put him in at LG or RT for now. We don't need to get Staff killed. You guys say he was an incredible value and he's the LT of our future, but I don't see it. He couldn't even replace an injured Jeff Backus, and he only looks good pass blocking when he comes in as a TE. IMO he looks horrible at LT, but you guys go ahead and praise him. To me it seems like you guys are fishing for scraps, or seeing what you want to see. He looked horrible in pre-season too, but you guys praised him, go figure. Peterman needs to be done. Get someone else some experience out there. He's horrible.

DE - I agree completely. Maybe if we hold KVB back (not like we need to), he'll be willing to re-structure next year. I do love the leadership he brings, and I shutter to think what Suh's temper would look like without him, but his price tag has grown to be an impediment on this team. We can get another vet to play the same role for a fraction of his cost. Willie, Jackson and Lewis definitely need to be given more time. Willie needs to be out there screwing up and disciplined for it. That's the only way he's going to learn. The guy is like a horny pitbull in a cathouse... He acts a fool out there, and needs to calm down. All I heard all off-season is what a steal both Lewis' were, but I've seen absolutely nothing to support the assertion.

LB - I agree with getting Lewis some snaps, see above. Whitehead too, but I don't believe either can replace Durant or Levy. It may be responsible to limit Levy some (whom I think has had a good season and shown progress, others don't) to save us some coin in re-signing him.

Our CB/S position is utterly ridiculous. If any of these bums can prove their worth to be here next year. Play the best of the bunch and hope at least a 2nd string player shakes out of them. What complete trash.

December 12th, 2012, 5:10 pm

TheRealWags

Modmin Dude

Joined: December 31st, 2004, 9:55 amPosts: 12488

Re: Getting ready for: The Cardinals

PFT wrote:

Patrick Peterson: I’ll show I’m the best in the NFL against MegatronPosted by Michael David Smith on December 13, 2012, 6:56 AM EST

Although Lions-Cardinals is nowhere near the NFL’s best game on Sunday, that game will feature one of the NFL’s best individual matchups when Lions receiver Calvin Johnson is covered by Cardinals cornerback Patrick Peterson.

In fact, to hear Peterson tell it, the only better individual matchup in all the NFL than Peterson vs. Megatron is the one that happens in Cardinals practice, when Peterson covers teammate Larry Fitzgerald.

“I think I am the best cornerback in the league right now,” Peterson told reporters in a conference call this week. “You know, me and Calvin, we’re the same caliber players.”

But Peterson doesn’t consider Johnson the best receiver in the league right now.

“He’s second in my book behind Larry,” Peterson said.

The Cardinals will surely not leave Peterson one-on-one with Johnson all day on Sunday, but that’s what Peterson says he wants.

“I would like to go one-on-one as much as I can,” Peterson said.

Peterson is one of the NFL’s best young players, but when it comes to going one-on-one against Megatron, he may want to be careful what he wishes for.

The two played against each other in 2008, when Peterson was a freshman at LSU and Stafford was in his final season at the University of Georgia. The Bulldogs emerged victorious that day, rolling to a 52- 38 win over the Tigers.

Stafford finished an effective 17-26 for 249 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions in the victory, yet Peterson is far more impressed with how much Stafford's game has developed since joining the Lions.

"Stafford is definitely one of the better quarterbacks in this league, having a strong arm, having all those different throwing motions," Peterson said. "I think that's what makes Matthew Stafford so unique and different from a lot of quarterbacks."

Peterson said he's never seen a signal-caller capable to delivering the ball so many different ways to his receivers.

"I believe he just started this baseball throwing in the (NFL)," Peterson said. "I had an opportunity to play against him in college at Georgia, but I've never seen a quarterback have this many throwing motions as Stafford has. It can be a good thing. He can throw the ball with a submarine throw and probably still get it there. He's just an incredible athlete and a better quarterback."

The Cardinals have been outstanding against the pass this season, allowing fewer than 200 yards per game. Only the New York Giants and Chicago Bears have intercepted more passes than Arizona.